The Lagos State Government, through the Office of the Public Defender (OPD), has recovered a severely jaundiced 14-day-old baby whose parents denied her life-saving blood transfusion on religious grounds.

The baby girl (name withheld) was delivered prematurely at a private hospital in Surulere with headquarters at Ikoyi on December 18,, 2019 to Mr and Mrs Emmanuel Onokpise of Abata Close, Orile-Iganmu.

The baby was discovered to be severely jaundiced at birth and and the doctors prescribed that she be given urgent blood transfusion to survive.

But, according to a statement by the OPD, the baby’s parents who are Jehovah Witnesses and on Medical Insurance (HMO), opposed the blood transfusion for their baby citing their religious belief.

They allegedly unilaterally discharged the baby from the hospital against medical advice.

The statement said: “It was the critical health condition of the baby and deviant position of the parents that persuaded a spirited member of the public to inform the Lagos Office of the Public Defender to save the child from untimely death.

“The agency swung into action immediately, got the relevant court order by invoking relevant sections of the Lagos Child`s Rights Law of 2015 and Lagos State Safeguiding and Child Protection Policy of 2016.

“In collaboration with the Nigerian Police, Adeniji- Adele and Orile stations, the baby was eventually evacuated from the parents’ home after stiff resistance from other mobilised members of the Jehovah Witness on 30th December, 2019.”

The OPD said the baby was taken to Massey Street Children Hospital on Lagos Island.

It said the baby, which weighed 2.2kg at birth, weighed less than 1.7kg at the time of rescue, allegedly “due to lack of medical attention after being kept at home for one week and five days by the recalcitrant parents.”

This is highly commendable. I hope they don't stop at rescuing babies. Children of all ages in similar circumstances should be rescued. We cannot let children die in the name of religion. A child’s right to live is more important than her parents‘ right to impose their religious beliefs on her.

If you have a similar case to report, you can call the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender on this toll-free number: 07080601080 or mail opdlagos@yahoo.com.

Lol this thing is funny cos I read another case of a husband refusing to allow blood transfusion for his wife who was about to put to bed. She eventually died n the man remarried... He remarried a Catholic babe

Hear them hypocrites, The Title should read Christians in Nigeria are refusing Blood transfusions for their babies. Not Nigerian citizens. The facts are had it been the family were Muslims, the hypocrites will not allow us to hear a word. Shame on Islamaphobia & bad journalism.

. Jehovah witness people they always burst my head,u can't argue with them and winMe and my guy got into an argument on this blood or no blood transfusion issue,he showed me a Bible passage that do not offer blood to idols blabla bla,I was like how does blood offered to idols affect u giving blood to someone that is dying

JesseThunder:Similar issue happened around where I'm staying at Igando early this year! Well the girl is dead now. JW parents refuse blood transfusion.

chai! Thank God I'm not blinded by stupidity in the name of religion maybe I'd be dead now. But I'm alive because I didn't go to a prayer house instead, hospital. Now, myself and my baby(unborn then) are alive